'Arts Feast' honors diversity

Benefit Friday for RISSE Center features food, music and art by refugees

Anna Schupack, 17, a senior at Emma Willard School, poses with a quilt that will be raffled on Friday at a benefit for Refugee Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE). (Christopher Lisio / Special to the Times Union) less

Anna Schupack, 17, a senior at Emma Willard School, poses with a quilt that will be raffled on Friday at a benefit for Refugee Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE). (Christopher Lisio / Special to the ... more

Image
1of/4

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 4

Anna Schupack, 17, a senior at Emma Willard School, poses with a quilt that will be raffled on Friday at a benefit for Refugee Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE). (Christopher Lisio / Special to the Times Union) less

Anna Schupack, 17, a senior at Emma Willard School, poses with a quilt that will be raffled on Friday at a benefit for Refugee Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE). (Christopher Lisio / Special to the ... more

'Arts Feast' honors diversity

1 / 4

Back to Gallery

Albany

Anna Schupack is passionate about social justice.

The quiet and reflective senior at Emma Willard School is busier than ever as she makes final preparations for Friday's "Arts Feast: Food for the Eyes, Ears and Palate," to benefit Refugee Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE).

Founded in 2007, the nonprofit provides English as a second language classes for adults and after-school and tutoring programs for children of refugee families from Myanmar, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Congo, Sudan, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and a dozen other troubled countries. It serves through affiliations with Emmaus United Methodist Church and the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, which provides services to refugees and immigrants for their first 90 days in the United States.

The fundraiser, which Anna has been organizing for months, runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the RISSE Center, located at 240 W. Lawrence St.

"I participated in a human rights symposium over the summer in which students collaborated and discussed a wide variety of social justice issues, both domestic and international," said Anna, who at 17 is already a seasoned artist and activist. "I was inspired by this experience to pursue a long-term project connected to the plight of refugees within my own community."

More Information

Anna first got involved with the after-school program at RISSE through a volunteer project at Emma Willard. She worked with refugee children on a self portrait project and incorporated those images into two quilts, with help from the nonprofit Up-Stitch and her mom, Karen Schupack, owner of the Albany Art Room. The quilts will be raffled on Friday.

After networking with artists, teachers and local agencies that work with refugees, including the Albany International Center and Maxine Lautenberg from the Saratoga Immigration Coalition, Anna came up with a plan to celebrate the presence of a diverse and creative refugee population through music, art, food and spoken word.

Much of the artwork that will be on display is from Ellen Child's art class at the Albany International Center, as well as from children at the RISSE Center and adult refugee artists.

"I had spent time at RISSE before, mentoring children and developing friendships," Anna said. "The center contributes so much to our local refugee population, and I wanted to find a way to support its mission."

People who attend the Arts Feast will have an opportunity to channel their inner artist in a collaborative canvas painting.

A potluck meal will be served with donated food from Tara Kitchen, Mamoun's Restaurant, Ali Baba, Esperanto, Falafel Den, Chontong Thai and Sunhee's Farm and Kitchen.

Nada Odeh, an artist from Syracuse, will discuss her art and experiences coming to the U.S. from Syria. Filmmaker Jad Jacob will discuss his documentary, "I Am Syria" and Syrian poet Rana Jacob will read from her work. The Emma Willard a capella singers will also perform.

Kamiar Alaei and Arash Alaei will talk about a local initiative that's bridging the gap between law enforcement and refugees. The brothers, both physicians and human rights activists, were imprisoned in their native Iran in 2008 and after their release founded the Global Institute for Health and Human Rights at the University at Albany.

Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation of $5 per person and $10 for families.

"I'm excited — and nervous," Anna said. "I hope people connect around this creative project that represents the diversity and commonalities of everyone who attends."